Good news

Anglers, scientists agree - numbers are up in Upper Laguna Madre

RIVIERA - A subtle ridge of submerged sand separated us from the
distant dunes of Padre Island.

Along the rise of this bar near the path of historic Yarborough Pass
ran a distinct jagged line where thick dark seagrass contrasted against
a yellow bay bottom visible from the surface. Aubrey Black, his father
Gene Black and I shuffled toward the meadow's edge, casting white
Skitter Walks and reddish Bass Assassins on the lightest of jigheads
into a waist-deep tide.

We were there for fat morning trout, but would have accepted
whatever the bay offered.

Much has been said since early spring about this year's abundant
trout opportunities in Upper Laguna Madre, particularly regarding big
specks near Baffin Bay and southward. We enjoyed a trout run of unusual
proportions, reminiscent of tide-runner events of the past.

LODGING NEAR BAFFIN BAY

Wild Horse Inn, (361) 584-3098

Baffin Bay Inn, (361) 297-5158

Baffin on the Rocks,
(361) 592-0585

Cast n Stay Lodge, (361) 297-5636

Little Bethel Bungalow,
(361) 296-4056

Country Estes Mobile Ranch, (361) 592-4659

Riviera Beach Trailer and RV Park, (361) 297-5254

Seawind RV Park, (361) 297-5738

Anglers speculated that this year's concentrated influx could have been
a result of a healthy shrimp migration rather than trout riding a
modest spring tide from the gulf. For whatever reason, fishing was and
continues to be good between Corpus Christi and Kingsville.

This news comes not only from the mouths of anglers, but from the
ledgers of scientists who chart fish stocks. Texas Parks &
Wildlife's spring gillnet survey reveals a trout fishery equal to last
year's, the third highest since 1980.

It's been easy to find small trout, just above and below the 15-inch
minimum. But the good news extends to the mid-size trout population as
well, which had experienced slightly below-average tallies in recent
years. TPW biologist Kyle Spiller said those 18- to 24-inch fish have
rebounded nicely. Spring catch rates of mid-range trout were average or
above average, according to the most recent Upper Laguna Madre
survey.

Larger trout also are enjoying above average numbers, reflecting a
healthy and balanced fishery, Spiller said.

It's too early to say for sure whether the 25-inch rule should
receive credit for this. In 2003, the state imposed a trophy trout
rule, which restricts anglers to a single trout 25 inches or better as
part of a 10-fish daily bag.

Fisheries biologists estimate that relative effects of this rule on
trout populations should become scientifically measurable in 2009.

Meanwhile, there's equally good news for redfish and the anglers who
seek them. The number of redfish caught in state gillnets this spring
is about equal to the number of trout snared. At the same time, anglers
are landing two to three times more trout than reds, according to
dockside surveys. Part of the reason for this is that anglers who
target trout far outnumber anglers who target redfish. And the daily
bag for reds is three.

Also consider that most redfish escape to the gulf when they reach a
certain size, so that redfish in our bays represent only a fraction of
the population. Trout, on the other hand, live out their lives in the
bays.

If the outlook for redfish in Upper Laguna Madre is bright - and all
indications point to this - then the prospects for black drum are
blinding. Commercial drum-liners harvest nearly 1 million pounds of
fish annually from Upper Laguna Madre, while the recreational harvest
is insignificant. This translates to anywhere from 200,000 to 400,00
drum taken annually almost exclusively by commercial fishermen, which,
surprisingly, has had little impact on stocks, Spiller said.

"You can't throw a rock in Upper Laguna without hitting a drum,"
Spiller said. "Roughly speaking, we catch about one trout per hour in
our gillnets versus five per hour for black drum. That's a lot of
drum."

If you need more reasons to be optimistic about Laguna Madre
fishing, then I've got you covered. Salinity levels before recent rains
were lethal for newly hatched trout, threatening to limit this year's
recruitment. Salt levels in sections of Baffin Bay had reached 69 parts
per thousand.

Seawater in the gulf averages about 30 ppt. Laguna Madre waters
average somewhat higher than this, particularly during a drought. High
winds and hot weather aggravate this condition because of
evaporation.

The good news? Not only is a stubborn brown tide clearing up, but
you'll be happy to know that Laguna Madre salinity has plummeted well
into the livable range for trout fry. Depending on location, salinities
are in the mid-teens, mid-20s or low-40s, eliminating the immediate
threat to this year's trout spawn.

Salinity levels were not on our minds as we waded the Yarborough
area southeast of Baffin Bay this past week. Black had been catching
mid-class or better specks along the grass line we were
approaching.

Several of Black's charter clients had caught personal bests there,
and both father and son had anguished over trophies lost within the
week prior to my visit. This was the focus of my thoughts as I followed
Black.

Just as he had promised, an accurate cast to the sandbar produced a
trout nearly every time. But none were the size we'd come to find. A
few approached or exceeded the 20-inch mark, and anyone looking for
fast-paced action would have been satisfied with the numbers we caught.
But I could tell that my fishing partner was disappointed.

We followed that bar as far as our optimism would take us. Then
Black suggested we knock on a different door. We didn't have to go far
to find it.

A brief boat ride southward ended on an off-colored flat, sparkling
with mullet. This was another vast seagrass stretch interrupted by
irregular patches of sand and floating shoalgrass. We drifted over a
piece of this habitat until Black found conditions he preferred.

Among the more obvious of these conditions was clearer water. Not so
apparent were the 30 or so redfish swimming there.

We yanked nearly all of them from a single pothole during the next
two hours.

Outdoors writer David Sikes' column appears Thursdays and Sundays.
Contact him at 886-3616 or sikesd@ caller.com